Dad’s Simple and Easy Bread Maker Recipe

Some baker purests say that using a Bread Maker is cheating, well try making bread by hand when a toddler is finding ever-inventive ways to interrupt you.

Having bread dough stuck to your hands and then hearing “daddy look at me” as he climbs onto the dining table with a make-shift cape on. This doesn’t make the bread making experience enjoyable or quick.

So if I can cheat and still have good fresh bread I will. The smell of baking bread is amazing and gets you extra credit with the wife. Getting everything into the Bread Maker should only take a few minutes, so start a well timed game of hide and seek should give you enough time to get it in.

The Recipe

Dry Yeast – 1 1/4 tsp

Strong White Flour – 500g

Sugar – 1 1/2 tsp

Rapeseed oil – 2 tbsp

Salt – 1 1/4 tsp

Milk – 350ml

Put all the dry ingredients in first.

Then put in the not so dry ingredients in.

Select the Standard “White Loaf” setting on the Bread Maker.

When it beeps at you turn it out onto a wire tray to cool.

If you do somehow mess it up you can always get the kids to throw it out on the lawn for the birds. This will not only entertain them long enough for you to get another batch of bread in but also gets rid of the evidence.

For Dough

I use the same recipe for making Dough, just select the “Dough” setting instead and after shaping it to the desired shape (Rolls, Knots etc), cover with oiled cling film and put somewhere warm for 20 mins to rise to double it’s size.

After they’ve risen, brush with either milk, beaten egg or a little oil and put in a preheated oven at 220 degrees / Gas mark 7 10 – 15 mins or until golden brown.

All Purpose Flour is fine i think the only difference is that Strong White Flour has a higher gluten content.
Rapeseed Oil is like a ‘British olive oil’ but its flavour is more earthy and nutty than fruity. If you hunt some down try and get the Cold Pressed Oil it’s much nicer.